CSA N286.0.1-14

1.4 CSA N286 recognizes that a facility might not have the internal capability or capacity to address all of its facility life cycle activity needs. Where a supplier is needed to fill a gap, the supplier is required to adhere to the CSA N286 requirements, but only in relation to the specific life cycle activities the supplier will be providing. Suppliers might not be required to address all the requirements within CSA N286, rather only those required for the scope of life cycle activities being performed. For example, a constructor’s management system needs to encompass those CSA N286 requirements related to activities they are performing. The life cycle requirements for a nuclear facility can be substantial and the detail and scope of CSA N286 requirements that need to be met can be extensive. These requirements should be included in the documentation for supply chain procurement and should be understood by the supplier before a supply chain procurement contract is awarded. It is not the intent of CSA N286 to require every supplier to have a management system that complies with CSA N286. Rather, the nuclear facility is responsible for identifying the specific N286 requirements that each supplier needs to comply with. A graded approach should be used to identify and document the rationale for the selection of these requirements. It is possible that the specified requirements may be satisfied by a supplier who has adopted and implemented other published management or quality assurance related standards. When a CSA N286-compliant management system is specified by the nuclear facility, a supplier may use its own management system or work to or adopt the requirements and processes of the nuclear facility’s management system. In either case, the supplier needs to comply with the specified CSA N286 requirements. Regardless of the strategy used by a supplier to meet the requirements, the nuclear facility’s top management is ultimately responsible for ensuring the requirements of CSA N286 are met.